Personnel transfer capsule handling system



5, 1969 A. SOUTHERLAND, JR., ET AL 3,430,157

-PERSONNEL TRANSFER CAPSULE HANDLING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 28, 1967 INVENTORS ERLAND, Jr

ARTHUR SOUTH FRANK H. C/RER ALFRED 6. ANDERSON United States Patent O 3,480,157 PERSONNEL TRANSFER CAPSULE HANDLING SYSTEM Arthur Southerland, .lr., Washington, D.C., Frank H. Cirer, Virginia Beach, Va., and Alfred G. Anderson, Bethesda, Md., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 671,496 Int. Cl. B66c 13/06 US. Cl. 212-41 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shipboard material system and more particularly to a system for launching and recovering a load such as a personnel transfer capsule and for eliminating pendulous swinging of the load while it is being transferred to and about the deck of the support ship.

The shipboard handling systems in general use today have not required load stabilization because the ship is usually in calm water at dock-side when the material is being loaded or off-loaded. However, there is a need for handling loads while at sea without damaging the load or injuring personnel who may be part of the load.

When handling and hoisting a load by a crane over the side of a vessel that is in open water, it becomes necessary to eliminate the pendulous swinging of the load so that it does not strike the side of the support ship. Particularly, when handling a personnel transfer capsule or deep submergence rescue vehicle it becomes imperative to eliminate pendulous swinging so as to protect those within the capsule from injury and discomfort.

SUMMARY The instant invention overcomes the aforementioned problems and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a telescoping stabilizing boom attached at its extremity to the load. The other end of this stabilizing boom is hinged to the base of the crane for raising and lowering of the boom in a vertical plane. A triangle is thus formed by the hoisting cable, the boom of the crane, and the stabilizing boom. In relation to a boom crane, lateral swing is eliminated by virtue of the hinged joint of the stabilizer boom .at the base of the crane. To-and-fro swing is eliminated by the rigidity length of the telescoping stabilizing boom. Raising or lowering the load, that is shortening or lengthening the lifting cable, requires that the stabilizing boom change in length to maintain the load directly below the hoist point. The stabilizing boom is therefore designed to actively and passively telescope and thereby change in length. It is actively extended or retracted by means of hydraulic pressure exerted on doubleacting pistons within the telescoping sections. The stabilizer boom will passively change in length by means of an adjustable leak-rate orifice interconnecting the extending and retracting sides of the hydraulic system. The leak-rate orifice may be adjusted to control the speed change of length of the telescoping arm thereby reducing pendulous swing of the load and yet permitting low speed change of length associated with hoisting.

For convenience in handling a load of known shape such as a personnel transfer capsule a loading engaging member such as an inverted basket of tubular elements may be rotatably attached to the extremity of the stabilizing boom. In this case, the inverted basket is extended over the load hanging on its hoisting cable. The cable is reeved through an opening in the side of the basket, and hoisting continued until engagement of the load with the basket. The load may then be locked to the basket.

Loads not suitable for the boom crane may be handled by a bridge crane mounted on overhead rails parallel to the deck. Provision is made for these rails to extend over the side and over a well of the ship.

It is to be understood that the bridge crane may operate concomitant With the goom crane or each may operate independently. When working together and particularly when handling a personnel capsule the bridge crane will take the major weight of the load and is therefore connected via a bridle to the load engaging member. The boom crane will be utilized to handle the strength, power, and communication cable normally attached to the capsule. The stabilizer boom of the boom crane will be attached tothe load engaging member to eliminate pendulous sway.

The bridge crane may also operate independently of the boom crane for hoisting and handling loads in situations such as, for example, transferring loads about the deck.

This bridge crane is therefore provided with telescoping stabilizer booms similar in construction and attachment to the stabilizer boom mounted on the boom crane. These booms are laterally spaced from the hoist point to produce a triangular relationship necessary for the booms to work in compression and tension. A suitable load engaging member preferably in the form of a C-shaped collar may be provided at the ends of the stabilizer booms. The bridge crane may therefore independently hoist and move a load about the decks in a stabilized condition.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a system to prevent pendulous sway of a load when being hoisted by a crane.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ship at sea with an overall handling system for stabilizing a load such as a personnel capsule when hoisting it from the water surface and when transferring it to other portions of the ship.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The figure is an overall elevational view of the hoisting and stabilizing system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in the figure a load generally designated at 10. While this load may be of any nature, there is shown for purposes of illustration a load in the form of a pressurized personnel transfer capsule of the type employed for rescue and transfer of personnel from submarines underwater worksites and the like. Such a pressurized capsule 10 may be provided with air bottles 14 secured thereto in any conventional manner. The capsule 10 is hoisted to the water sur face by its hoisting cable 16 which contains power and communication lines therein. In order to facilitate handling of the capsule, there is provided a load engaging member in the form of an inverted basket 18 for engaging the capsule at the water surface. The basket 18 has on opposite sides pivots 20 for receiving a bifurcated yoke 22 which is detachably connected to the extremity of a telescoping stabilization boom 24.

The stabilization boom 24, according to the invention, provides the damping action preventing pendulous swinging of the load. Double-acting hydraulic cylinders 26 within the stabilization boom 24 telescope into each other to lengthen or shorten the boom by means of hydraulic pressure exerted through flexible tubes 29. A hydraulic system 27 is mounted on the boom crane 32 in easy reach of an operator to control the extension and retraction of the boom and the adjustable leak-rate orifice.

To extend the boom, fluid pressure is exerted on the inboard side of each piston within the individual cylinders whereby the piston attached to the next smaller cylinder is extended outwardly.

To retract the boom, fluid pressure is exerted on the outboard side of each piston thereby causing each cylinder to be retracted into the next large cylinder. The stabilization boom 26 may also extend or retract passively by providing a small, adjustable leak-rate orifice in the hydraulic system between the extend and retract pressure sides. This leak-rate orifice permits slow and damped passive extension and retraction to keep the load directly below the hoist point of the boom crane 32 or the bridge crane 44. Fast extension or retraction of the stabilizer boom is prevented by the small leak-rate orifice of the hydraulic system. The boom is therefore firm enough in tension and compression to resist high frequency pendulous swaying of the load 10 hanging on a hoisting cable. The inboard end of the stabilizer arm 24 is hinged to rotate in a vertical plane about pivot 28 carried by a boom crane 32. The boom crane 32 has a hydraulic power cylinder 30 having its working end attached near the inboard end of the arm 24 for controlling the rotation of the stabilization arm about pivot 28-.

The boom crane 32 is rotatably mounted on a carriage 34 to enable positioning of a boom 36 over the side and at various locations on the deck of the ship. Further, the boom is fitted with an oversized sheave 38 mounted at the outer extremity thereof. This extra large sheave is used so that the strength, power and communication cable 16 is not bent or kinked sharply to cause breaks in the fine power and communication wires carried therein. In addition, an oversized guide sheave 40 is mounted upon a vertical mast 42 afiixed to the crane 32.

There is also provided a bridge crane 44 mounted for traverse along rails 46 located parallel to and well above the main deck 48. The bridge crane may be used independently or in conjunction with the boom crane 32. The rails are extendable to enable the bridge crane to be positioned over the load 10. Attached to a conventional power drum on the bridge crane is a hoisting cable 50 which is reeved through a movable block 52. When the bridle crane is used concomitantly with the boom crane for handling a personnel transfer capsule, a conventional hook on block 52 is detachably connected to a bridle 54 which supports the load engaging member such as an inverted basket 18.

At pivots spaced laterally on the carriage from the hoist point the bridge crane 44 is fitted with a pair of telescoping stabliziation booms 60 similar in construction to boom 24 previously described. The extremities of these booms 60' are pivotally attached to a load engaging member such as a C-shaped collar 62. Collar 62 is engageable with a load 10 such as a personnel transfer capsule for transfer to any portion of the deck. The booms 60 and collar 62 serve to stabilize the load hanging on cable 50 in the same manner as provided by stabilization boom 24. The boom crane 32 fitted with its oversized sheaves 38 and guide sheave 40 will continue to handle the strength, support, and communication cable which will continually be attached to the personnel transfer capsule until it is moved and lowered to a suitable location such as a decompression chamber flange 58, or'a temporary stowage rack 56.

4 DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATION The operation of this hoisting and stabilization system will be described as it is used for handling a load such as a personnel transfer capsule although it may be used for any load. It is to be understood however that each crane 32 and 44 may be used independently or in combination.

In preparation for taking a personnel transfer capsule on board a support ship, the inverted basket 18 is attached for hoisting to the bridge crane 44. This is accomplished by engaging the hook on movable block 52 with the bridle 54 of the inverted basket 18. With the aid of bridge crane 44 the inverted basket is then lowered toward the capsule which is in or under the water either in a well or over the side of the support ship. The tilt of the stabilizer boom 24 may be controlled with the hydraulic cylinder 30 if desired. As the basket is lowered the bifurcated ends of yoke 22 pivot on the basket at points 20. The stabilizer boom may be actively extended or allowed to passively extend as previously described.

The personnel transfer capsule is hoisted to the water surface by its strength, power and communication cable 16. Cable 16 is reeved through a slot in the side of the basket to a position centrally located between the bridle ends. Hoisting by cable 16 is continued until engagement of the personnel capsule 10 with the inverted basket 18, at which time the locking mechanism 55 is activated to clamp cable fitting 17 to the inverted basket. The capsule and basket may then be handled as an integral unit load.

The bridge crane 44 is activated to hoist the combined weight of the unit to deck level. The boom crane 32 is operated to keep the cable 16 under tension over sheaves 38 and 40 to avoid any possible kinking while the personnel transfer capsule is lifted over the side and lowered to some position on the deck such as to a stowage stand 56.

During lifting, the stabilizer boom passively retracts against the leak-rate orifice action keeping the load under the hoisting point and preventing pendulous sway of the load. If desired, the leak-rate may be adjusted depending on the amount of stabilization desired. Alternatively, the stabilizer boom 24 may be actively extended and retracted to prevent load sway as desired by operation of the hydraulic control system 27.

In handling a personnel transfer capsule, it may be necessary to transfer it expeditiously to a position remote from the well or the over-the-side hoisting area for connection to a decompression chamber flange 58 for example. In these circumstances the stabilizer boom 24 is detached from the inverted basket 18, completely retracted by the hydraulic control system 27, and lowered to the deck with the aid of the hydraulic cylinder 30. The stabilizer booms 60 of the bridge crane 44 are actively extended by a similar hydraulic system as was described in reference to stabilizer boom 24. Extension is continued until the C-shaped engaging member 62 engages the periphery of the inverted basket 18 or the load directly if it is desired to remove the inverted basket. The boom crane 32 is used to handle the strength, power and communications cable 16 in such a manner as to protect it from being caught on obstructions or kinked.

Once the bridge crane stabilizer booms 60 are extended and the engaging member 62 engages the load, it can be seen that the bridge crane may handle and stabilize the load independently. The boom crane 32 performs its function as the load such as a personnel transfer capsule is being lifted and transferred on deck.

It is to be understood that the boom crane 32 may also handle and stabilize a load independently of the bridge crane. In these circumstances, the cable 16 will be capable of supporting the entire weight of the load 10 and the load engaging member 18.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art.

5 What is claimed is: 1. A shipboard handling system providing stabilization of a load from pendulous sway comprising:

crane means mounted on the Ship for hoisting and handling a load;

a stabilizer boom comprising a plurality of interconnected telescoping elements actively extendable and retractable by hydraulic pressure and damped against passive relative motion, attached at the inner cry of said sheave and attached to the load to be lifted; and

a pivot on said crane body for attachment of the inner end of said stabilizer boom.

4. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

second crane means having its cable attached to the top of said load engaging member for hoisting the combined weight of said load and said load-engaging member.

end thereof to said crane means for rotation in a 10 5. The system of claim 3 wherein the second crane vertical plane and detachably connected at the-exmeans is further characterized by: tremity to the load; and a plurality of telescoping stabilizer booms pivotally a hydraulic control system fluidly communicating with attached for rotation in a vertical plane to said said stabilizer boom for actively extending and 'resecond crane means at points laterally spaced from tracting as well as passively damping the relative 15 the hoisting position and extendable and retractable ti f id t l i 1 m by hydraulic pressure to resist sway of the load; 2. The System of claim 1 comprising: and a yoke member having a bifurcated end attached to a SeCOnd load engaging member P Y attaciled the extremity f Said Stabilizer boom; to said stabilizer booms for stabilizing a load against 0 pendulous swinging when the load is transferred a load engaging member in the form of an inverted basket pivotally attached between the bifurcated end of said yoke member; and

a cable locking mechanism affixed to said load engaging member for grasping the load cable providing positive, engagement of said load-engaging member along the deck of the ship outside the reach of said crane means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS and the load. 1,818,374 8/1931 Bennington 212-71 3. The system of claim 2 wherein said crane mean 2,355,235 8/1944 Nickles 2123 is a boom crane comprising: 2,659,494 11/1953 Broussard 21242.5

a wheel-mounted carriage; 3O FOREIGN PATENTS a crane body mounted for horizontal rotation upon 644,100 4/1937 Germanysald carnage; 483,912 4/1938 Great Britain.

a bottom pivotally attached to said body for rotation in a vertical plane; a sheave mounted for rotation at the extremity of said boom; a cable in contact with at least a portion of the periph- 35 HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 21259, 144 

